Method and apparatus for closing cartons



Feb. 3, J' C. LANG 2,435,398

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSING `CRTONS .Filed June 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Figi.

a mgm? Etam-*am gall INVENTOR Jospjz Glargg Feb. 3, 1948. J, C, LANG l 2,435,398

l METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSING CARTONS Filed June 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO R Jbsqplz C Lang j@ my Patented Feb. 3, 1948 NIETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLOSING CARTONS Joseph C. Lang, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Bocjl Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application June 3, 1944, Serial No. 538,578

(Cl. SiS- 42) 21 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the closing of cartons, and more particularly to a method and apparatus whereby metal fasteners are employed at the corners of the carton.

The invention herein described is, broadli7 speaking, a modiiication of the invention disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 524,849, iiled March 1, 1944. In the said copending application, there is shown and described a method wherein the corner of the carton which is to be fastened is gripped and pinched between the two jaws, and while it is so held in the jaws, a staple is driven diagonally through the corner with the bridge of the staple, when it is ultimately driven, being flat against one surface of the box, and the legs of the staple being clinched against or into the adjacent wall of the box which is perpendicular to the one against which the bridge is engaged. In other words, the staple extends diagonally across the corner with the bridge for example, engaging the top of the box, and the legs emerging through and being clinched into the vertical end wall of the box.

The present invention contemplates a similar method insofar as it involves the pinching of the corner of the box and the driving fastener, while the corner is so pinched. It is different from said application, however, in that with the present invention the staple or other fastener embraces cr encircles the corner of the box as well being engaged in the corner. While either arrangement very effectively and satisfactorily closes the box, the present invention may preferable in certain types of cartons, and also may better adapt itself to a machine in which a number of drivers spaced side by side function simultaneously. This is due to the fact that the fastener being driven, in at least some embodiments of the present invention, from a different direction than is shown in the said copending application, enables the stapling heads to be placed closer together. In other words, if the wire which forms the staple or other fastener feeds into the forming machine from the side, the stapling heads must be further apart, where a plurality oi them are simultaneously used, than where the wire or other fastener can be fed in a direction extending fore and aft of the machine instead of sideways.

My invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a section through the upper 2 portion of a box or carton of conventional form before the top flaps have been secured;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the corner after the securing means has been driven into place;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the same corner portion of a box or carton in position lto be engaged by the stapling mechanism, a simple form of stapling mechanism being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the portion of the parts just as the staple is about to be driven;

Fig. 5 is an elevation looking into the jaws of the machine from the under face of the jaws, the elevation being at an angle to from Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the jaw elements and guide for the other jaw element, the supporting arms being omitted;

Fig. '7 is a transverse section in the plane of line VII-VII of Fig. 6, the operating cain, however, being omitted;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View through a modiiied form of machine, showing the jaws in the act of pinching the corner of the boX, the corner of the box being shown in section; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 at the completion of the driving of the fastener.

In the modiiication shown in Figs. 3 to 7, a U-shaped type of staple, i. e., a staple having two legs and a bridge portion is employed, whereas in Figs. 8 and 9 the fastener is merely a nat strip of metal which is curled around in the driving operation.

Referring iirst to Figs. 1 and 2, the upper portion of a carton is illustrated. In these views, A designates the end wall of the carton which is shown in section; B designates the side wall; C designates the end flap which is folded in over the top of the carton, and D designates the side flap that is folded in over the ap or lift C. Boxes of course are of various types. and the one illustrated is a conventional one. Normally there are two flaps D which fold inwardly from the sides, and which either meet on the center line of the box, or, preferably, overlap to increase the strength of the carton.

Referring to Fig. 2, the corner portion of the box has been distorted or pinched together and a staple S embraces this corner portion of the box, the legs of the staple being curled around the corner, the ends of the legs penetrating the material as indicated at S', and being lapped inside the material of the corner.

In the drawings, Figs. 3 to '7 inclusive, a very simple mechanism reduced to its basic elements is illustrated, the mechanism illustrated, however, operating according to the present method. The machine illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7 has two guide arms 2 and 3, conveniently formed of angle irons, and which are welded to a connecting plate 4, (which platei isy best shown in; Figs.A and 6, but in the latter view the arms 2 and 3 are not shown). As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the

two guide arms 2 and 3 are set over the corner of the box, the arm 2 resting on the. top of the box in the particular assembly illustrated, and the arm 3 extending down against the end wall A. The connecting plate 4 has a notch 4a on the inner edge thereof, so that the corner oiY ther box can be received in the stapling mechanism as clearly shown in Fig. 3. f 1

The face of the connecting plate 4 opposite the one to which the -angle arms 2 and 3l are welded is provided withV a longitudinally extending guideway or channel' 5. (f'seer Fig. Gf) Two jzaw elements; 7F and 8'- set on the guide. plate 5. and have extensions 'l' and 8 respectively which t in and slide along the guideway 5. Additionally the connecting plate 4 is provided with two spaced longitudinallyy extending slots'v 4. As best shown in Fig. 7', screws 9. pass through these slots into the respective blocks 1; and a and' the screws are provided with flanged ferrules l0 which t in the slots 4.. This arrangement secures the j-'aw elements 'i and 8, tothe connecting plate 4 while permitting them to slide toward andaway from each other.

The opposed faces of the blocksv or jaws 'l and 8y are provided' withv protruding lips I1 IE along one edge thereof. These protruding lips are best seen in Figs. 3 and' 4. Inwardly from the protruding lips are rounded surfaces or grooves I2. Extending transversely` of the lips H, from the outer surface of eachv blockA 1r' to the groove I2, isa staple guiding groove I3.

Passing through the blocks'or jaws 'Ii and 3 are holes IS4. A connecting link'l5 passes through the holes in the twoy jaws, and surrounding this link ink between the two. jiaws is a compression spring'l'. One end of the link is threaded and carries nuts H thereon. The other end ofthe link is provided withan eye i8 which is engaged by a pin L9, this pin also forming a ful'crum for an eccentric ca-m 20. The cam 26, best shownin Fig, 5, is a bifurcated cam with the eye extending between the two plates or cheeks of thel cam. The cam is provided with an operating handle 2 i.

The arrangement is such that when the cam is in the. position shown in Fig. 3v the two jaws 'l and 8 will be held apart by the compression spring |76. However, when the cam isrotated to the position shown in Fig. 4, the two jaws will be caused to move toward each other. It will be noted that inthis assembly both jaws move relative to the base plate 4, the-jaw I being pulled toward thev jaw 8 by the connecting link I5v and the 4 of the driver is concave, conforming to the arch shape of the bridge of the staple S. The parts are then in the position shown in Fig. 4. The driver 22 is then moved with a blow in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4. The two legs of the staple, which at this time straddle the gathered or beaded, edge portion of the box, move down into contact with the lips H'. These lips deilect the ends of the 'staple legs inwardly toward each other, acting as anvils to start the clinching of the staple beiolel theleg-s of the staple actually enter the material of the box. The shaping of the legs of the staple initiated by the lips Il is governed by the shape of the lips and their relative levels andA continues as the staple is driven. The legs Vof the staple are shown as eventually lapping each other in the material forming the corner of the box. When the staple has been completely driven, the rounded bridge will embrace the beaded or gathered in portion of the box, the legs will overthe legs to ber d'eilected inwardly through the; corjaw 8 being moved toward the jaw 1 and by pressure exerted by the cam. When the machine is applied to the corner of a box as illustrated in Figs. 3 and, 4, the movement of the twoy jaws in the manner described serves to pinch and gather the corner of the box into a compressed seam or fold.

While the parts are held in the position shown in Fig. 4, a U-shaped staple S is dropped` into the top of the staple guide formed by the opposed groot/e513, and a driver 22 having rabbeted edges 23 is entered between the two jaws with the said edges engaging in the guideway. The lower end ner of the carton.

Upon completion of the driving of the staple,I

the driver is removed, the cam 216. returnedto. the position shown. in Fig. 3:, andthe jaws open. The implement may then be moved along the boxV or engaged against' another box, and the cycle re,- peated. It will. be noted that in this operation the fastener engages. the corner of the box in such way that one leg or end' of the fastener enters the gathered' or pinched in portion from the top surface corner, and the other entersthe corner from the endv surface A.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9, there is a lower jaw member 25: and anV upper jaw member 26. These jaws are-indicated asK being provided with operating extensions 25av and 26a respectively. These extensions may be moved by an appropriate mechanism not shown, but the arrangement is preferably such that movement is imparted to both jaws simultaneously. The lower jaw 25 is in the form of a block'of metalY having a recess in the under face thereof extending from the upper end of the block downwardly to a point intermittent the two ends of the block, this recess terminating in aroundedv surface 25h which has a lip portion 25C.

Thel upper jaw which slides under the lower jaw has achannel inv its upper face to slideably receive and guide a driver element 21'. The jaw member 26 supports a magazine 28 adapted to hold a pluralityof fastenersF, these fasteners being in the form of thin sheet metal. The fasteners arefed through an opening 294 in thejaw member and the channel in 2'5r for the driver 21 is undercut so that only a single fastener may be projected into the path of thedriver at a time. This general type of construction is well known to those skilled in the` art. The upper jaw 25 tapers at its lower end to form a thin lip 26e for cooperation with the lip 25e. The upper jaw 26 slides along the recessed face of the lower jaw 25 while the driver 21 works vin the recess in the jaw 25 and in the channel formed in thejaw 26, being slideable relative to both jaws.

In the lower jaw member 25 is a chamber 30 in the bottom of which is a keeper member 3 l'. This keeper member 3l h-as lugs 3m at each end thereof that engage anges at the bottom of the chamber 30 while the keeper itself projects through an opening in the bottom of the chamber. Compression springs 32 bear against the keeper for resiliently urging the keeper toward the face of the upper jaw member 2B. The keeper 3l has inclined faces as clearly shown in the drawings, the arrangement being such that when the driver 2'! is in the retracted position shown in Fig. 8, the keeper will bear against a fastener moving down the guideway on the face of the lower jaw 26 in advance of the driver. When the driver engages the keeper, it will cam the keeper back into the chamber 30. as shown in Fig. 9, thus allowing the driver to ride past the keeper. The keeper retards the free movement of the fastener ahead of the driver so that the driver must push the fastener ahead of it.

In operation, the corner of a box is fed between the two jaws when the two jaws are open, i. e., when the lips 25o and 25o are spread apart. In the rst operation of the machine, the two jaws then move together, being operated through the operating extensions 25a and 26a respectively, pinching or bunching the corner of the box where it is engaged between the two jaws. Fig. 8 shows the parts in the position which they then occupy. The driver 2l in its stroke moves above the opening 29 so that the row of staples F can be pushed to the left as viewed in Fig. 8, advancing a single one of the fasteners into the path of the driver. The driver then descends to the position shown in Fig. 8, sliding the fastener in front of it toward the reduced end of the jaw. As the driver continues to move down, it forces the keeper 3l back and forces the lower end of the fastener through the corner of the box. The lower end of the fastener, after passing through the corner of the box, strikes the curved surface 25h, causing it to curl around. As the driving operation continues, the end of the fastener which has been curled around the corner of the box meets the rounded end surface 21a of the driver, and it is thereby clinched over to form a ring which encircles the corner of the box with the box corner being pinched together and the fastener passing di agonally through the corner of the box. In its finished form, the fastener substantially encircles the corner and also passes through the corner.

In both machines herein described, the apparatus involves a pair of jaw elements to pinch and bunch up or gather the corner of a box, and with each a fastener is applied in such manner that the intermediate portion of the fastener embraces the exterior of the corner while the legs are deflected toward each other, forming a circular or nearly circular binding about the corner. In each the fastener is diagonally engaged in the corner which it also encircles. The staple or fastener, constituting a closed loop or ring, may allow relative flexing between the top and end walls, i. e., a movement comparable to the turning of a page of a book (but of course of much less magnitude) there being a natural hinge action between the lifts or wall of the carton and the bunched in corner, This produces a condition tending to prevent the tearing out of the staples.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 to '7 inclusive, the anvils for deecting the fastener are the protruding lips on the jaws, and in Figs. 8 and 9 one anvil element is carried integrally on the face of the jaw and the other anvil element is on the end of the driver, which in turn is slideably carried on the opposite jaw.

The machine, while primarily applicable to closing cartons, may be adapted for other uses, and is adaptable, as will be understood by those skilled in the art to hand or power operation, and to machines using preformed fasteners or machines which shape the fasteners from continuous stock.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention and the method of practicing the same, it should be borne in mind that the elements of the apparatus have been reduced to an extremely simple form and that various changes and modifications are contemplated, and the method and apparatus are not restricted to the specific embodiments herein shown.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for setting fasteners comprising a pair of opposed jaw members adapted to engage and squeeze intersecting portions of the object to be fastened into a gather, and means for shaping a fastener around and through said gather.

-2. Apparatus for closing a carton by the use of fasteners in the corners thereof comprising means for pinching the corner of the carton diagonally across the corner until the intersecting wall portions at the corner are brought substantially into parallelism, and means for driving a fastener into the corner while it is so pinched and shaping it about the said corner.

3. Apparatus for closing a carton by the use of fasteners in the corners thereof comprising a pair of jaw members supported for movement toward and away from each other, means for supporting the carton so that the corner thereof projects between the jaws, the jaws having a range of movement such as to squeeze the corner portions of `the intersecting walls so engaged together, said jaw members having jaw portions thereon for pinching the corner of a carton, and means associated with the jaw members for driving a fastener into the corner of the box when it is engaged between said jaws and shaping the fastener about the corner.

4. Apparatus for setting fasteners in box corners comprising a pair of jaws movable toward and away from each other, means for operating the jaws, each of the jaws having lip portions of reduced thickness on the opposed faces thereof for bunching or pinching the corner of a box engaged therebetween, and a driver slideably guided between the two jaws, the range of movement o-f the jaws being such that the lip portions will travel inwardly past the plane of the walls constituting the box corner and push said walls inwardly against each other.

5. Apparatus for setting fasteners in box corners comprising a pair of jaws movable toward and away from each other, means for operating the jaws, each of the jaws having lipportions of reduced thickness on the opposed faces thereof for bunching or pinching the .corner of a box engaged therebetween, and a driver slideably guided between the two jaws, the driver being movable in a direction perpendicular to the lips.

6. Apparatus for setting fasteners in box corners comprising a pair of jaws movable toward and away from each other, means for operating the jaws, each of the jaws having lip portions of reduced thickness on the opposed faces thereof for bunching or pinching the corner of a box engaged therebetween, and a driver slideably guided between the two jaws, the driver being movable in a direction perpendicular to the lips, the jaws having a fastener guide between the opposed faces thereof at right angles to and terminating outwardly, in reference to the box, of said lips so that the legs of the fastener engage the lips and are deflected thereby. Y

'77. Apparatus for setting fasteners comprising a pair of jaw members movable toward and away from each other, means for operating the jaws, Said jaws having lip portions of reduced thickness thereon for engaging the work into which the fastener is to be driven, means including a driver for driving a fastener into the work which is pinched between the jaws and shaping the fastener about the portion which is confined `between the jaws, the reduced lip portions of at least one of the jaws serving as an anvil to shape,

the fastener, the two lips serving to concentrate the squeezing pressure of the jaws adjacent the region where the fastener penetrates.

8. Apparatus for setting fasteners in the corner of a box comprising a pair of jaws movable toward and away from each other, means .for operating the jaws, thejaws having lip portions of reducedA thickness on the opposed faces thereof for pinching the corner portion of a box inwardly from the corner edge, the jaws providing clearance for the corner of the box between the said .jaws and the corner edge, and means for setting a fastener in the corner with the fastener encircling the corner. Y l Y 9. Apparatus for setting fasteners comprising a pair of jaws movable toward and away from each other, means for operating the jaws, the jaws having lip portions for pinching the work piece adjacent the point where the fastener is to be driven, means on one of the jaws providing a staple guide, and a driver movable in said guide along one of the jaws in a direction paralleli to the direction in which the jawsimove.

10. Apparatus for setting U-shaped fasteners in the corner of Va box` comprising a pair of jaw members movable toward and away from each other, each jaw member having a box-engaging lip portion thereon, means for driving a fastener into the box corner movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the jaws move, the said lip portions providing anvils for deilecting the legs of the fastener into the corner of the box while the bridge of the fastener ernbraces the corner of the box, and'means separate from the driver for operating said jaws, whereby the corner of the box may be squeezed together by said jaws before the fastener is driven.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pair of movable jaw elements, means for supporting the jaw elements diagonally across the corner formed by intersecting faces of the work piece to be operated upon to enable said jaw elements to engage and hold the corner of the' workpiece, and means operating between the jaw elements for driving a staple into the work piece, means for deflecting the legs of a staple into the portion of the work piece engaged between the jaw elements, and means separate from the driver for operating said jaws, whereby the corner of the box may be squeezed together by said jaws before the fastener is driven.

12. Apparatus for setting fasteners having a bridge portion and twolegv portions comprising a pair of jaws, means for moving the jaws toward and away from each other,said jaws being relatively movable toward each other to grip and hold the portion of a work piece therebetween into which the staple is to be driven, means operating between the jaws and perpendicularly to their plane ofl movement for driving av fastener into the workpiece when it is engaged between I the jaws and means separate from the driver for operating said jaws, whereby the corner of the box may be squeezed together by said jaws before the fastener is driven, the jaws having anvilpor-V tions thereon for deflecting the legs of the staple before they enter the work piece. y

13. The method of closing cartons which comprises squeezing a corner formed by intersecting faces of the carton to confine the walls'and bring them together inwardly of the original corner and applying a fastener to the corner while it is squeezed and shaping the fastener about the corner.

14. The method of closing cartons which comprises pinching theu corner which is to be secured to form a gather, and applying fasteningmeans to the portion so pinched withthe fastening means substantially encircling the corner.

15. The method of closing a carton along the corner thereof which comprises squeezingk said corner of the box diagonally across the corner until the portions so squeezed are pressed yinto contact with each other and applying a fastener to the portion which is thus squeezed' with the mid portion of the fastener embracing the corner and with a portion of thev fastener passing throughl the corner. f

16. The method of closing a cartonralong the corner thereof which comprises squeezing said corner of the box diagonally across the corner until the portions of the corner so squeezed are pressed together into contact with each other and applying a fastener to the portion which is thus squeezed with the mid portion of the fastener embracing the corner and the ends of the fastener passing through the substance of the box and being brought together so that the fas tener will substantially encircle the squeezed corner portion of the box. v

17, The method of closing a carton along the corner thereof which comprises squeezing together a portion of the corner of the carton inwardly from the corner, engaging said corner with a fastener having a bridge portion and two legs in such manner that the legs straddle the squeezed portion of the corner of the carton, and then forcing the legs'of the staple into the substance f the box in a Vdirection diagonally of the corner.

18. The method of closing a carton along a corner thereof *which comprises rst'squeezing the corner of the carton to bring the intersecting walls of the carton together at the corner moving a U-shaped staple toward the corner in a direction substantially perpendicular to a4 diagonal plane passing through the corner and progressively delecting the legs of the staple as it is being thusdriven diagonally into the corner and forcing the bridge of the staple against the exterior of the corner. Y

19. The method of closing cartons or the like which comprises squeezing the corner in a direction extending diagonally of the` corner until the intersecting walls constituting the corner are pinched together, setting a staple astraddle of the squeezed portion of the corner, progressively deflecting the legs of the staple in a direction diagonally of the corner into-the substance of the carton in the nal driving of the staple. Y

20. Apparatusfor driving staples Vcomprising staple guiding means set astradle the workfmeans for gathering a portion of the work piece into a compressed bunch,. means for driving a staple 9 in the guiding means, the compressed bunch portion of work projecting between and serving as a means to support the inner faces of the legs, and anvil elements transverse to the direction of travel of the staple along said guide for 5 deecting the legs of the staple laterally into the work, the compressed bunch of paper acting with the anvil elements to conne the legs of the staple so that they are deected inwardly across the work which is engaged between the Jaws.

21.4 The method of driving staples into a Work piece which comprises squeezing portions of the Work piece into a gather to provide a firm compacted protuberance, applying a driving force to a staple with the staple over the work piece and astraddle of the protuberances so formed, and progressively deecting the legs of the staple transversely to the direction of the driving force on the staple into the work with the legs of the 20 staple so deflected then moving toward each other.

JOSEPH C. LANG.

REFERENCES cl'rnjn The following references are of' record in the 111e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Number Name Date Messersmith Feb. 18, 1913 Lopes Aug. 1, 1944 Craig Nov. 29, 1932 Van Wormer Oct. 16, 1934 Clemence Oct. 4, 1927 Templer Feb. 20, 1894 Doig Mar. 15, 1898 Grossman Sept. 6, 1910 Vogel Dec. 15, 1931 Passel Mar. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Mar. 11, 1887 

